Apparently, the bottom tier is better on the first third of the cliff, on the south (left) side... Don Perry apparently put up some routes there...

Do I need to bring my 40 foot stick clip? (reference to old DJP antics)

I thought it closer to a 60 footer.
Regarding the Bayards, go for it. It's likely the closure is even more laxly enforced than the widely ignored Nears closure.

"Regarding the Bayards, go for it. It's likely the closure is even more laxly enforced than the widely ignored Nears closure."

Marc, I would hate to see that become the normal way of thinking when it comes to private property. How would you know it was ignored all the way from Utah? I've seen nothing of the sort.

After spending over 25 years in the Gunks, I know more than a few locals and regulars that I'm still in regular contact with. If you've seen "nothing of the sort", you likely haven't been paying attention.

Mike - I think the 40 foot stick clip was for aid climbs only. However, I believe you should bring your hiking boots and leave your harness at home.

Page 14 of Gran's guide.
"Wiessner spotted two possible lines, so they continued to the face and gained a large ledge, the "Traverse Ledge" which traverses almost all of the face at the top of the lower dirty wall. They continued south along the ledge until they came to the further of the two possible lines, which they then climbed."
They had driven up and parked below, picked out two lines and scrambled up through the talus field. Moving south (from the right) and then climbing the "Old Route" they started it all 74 years ago.
Ironic how with the 75th anniversary of Gunks climbing almost upon us, that we can't climb on half the rock out there..... legally. RC

My recollection is that this "tradition" of avoiding the lower third of Millbrook had nothing to do with land ownership and everything to do with what Art Gran wrote in his original 1964 guidebook. Basically he stated (in the guidebook) and in person, that the lower third was dirty, rotten and should be avoided--compared to the clean climbing above. It's my belief that this "hearsay" stuck, and a tradition of avoiding the lower third began.

Probably Jim McCarthy would know the answer to this.

Ah, boulder problems.

Thanks for weighing in, Roy. I find it pretty cool that the gunks continue to have living legacies about to shed some fact on my usual speculations. That and I don't stick out like such an old guy as much.